Legal & Legislative

Alabama Car Rental Tax Bill Awaiting Governor's Signature

A bill that would raise Jefferson County's car rental tax 3% is on its way to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey’s desk, ABC33 reports.

Revenue from the tax increase, estimated to be $3 million annually, will help fund the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Complex (BJCC) project, near the University of Alabama Birmingham. The BJCC includes $125 million in renovations for the Legacy Arena and a new, open air 4,500 seat stadium in downtown Birmingham.

The bill passed the House of Representatives 14-3, with legislatures from outside the Birmingham metro area abstaining. Previously, the bill passed the State Senate 22-0.

The Jefferson County Commission has already pledged $30 million for the project, with the hopes of having the stadium ready by fall 2020.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reminding vehicle owners and drivers, as well as fleet managers, to check for open recalls on their vehicles. Recalls that remain unaddressed are a safety risk, according to the agency.

Sen. Inhofe introduced an amendment to the AV START Act to establish a committee that would bring all relevant stakeholders together to discuss the control of and access to data produced by autonomous vehicles and propose policy recommendations to Congress.

The inspection came as a result of two accounts of alleged rape and murder on the ride-hailing app Didi Chuxing, which sparked national outrage and a public apology from the company’s senior management.